I do NOT own Bonanza or any of the original Cartwright characters.
Star's Hope
Chapter Four
Ben was heading for the dining room table where Hoss and Candy had already taken a seat when Star came barreling out of the kitchen looking more petrified than anything else. Ben grabbed the young girl before she could bump into the table. The last thing he needed first thing in the morning was for his young daughter to go hitting her head on the side of the table. "Where's the fire, Pumpkin?" Hoss asked as his father took a hold of her shoulders.
"It's mama! She on the kitchen floor!" Star cried out. Ben ran into the kitchen so fast it made everyone's head spin. Sure enough, Brooke was on the floor and just beginning to sit up. Her husband rushed to her side and knelt down.
"What is it?" He asked as he took hold of her arms and helped her up. He fought off the fear that wanted to walk into his heart. Whatever was wrong with his wife had to be curable. He couldn't go losing a fourth wife; he'd never remarry if he did.
"I fainted." Brooke did her best to smile at him. "I'll be fine, really." By this time Hoss, Candy and Star were also standing in the kitchen. All three wore worried expressions on their faces. Fainting did not sound okay to them. That condition spelled out a need to be checked out by someone in the medical field.
Ben wasn't going to just stand by and assume everything was fine. If he let this go, and something happened to her because of his neglect, he'd never forgive himself. "Hoss, ride for the doctor." Ben started to lead his wife out of the kitchen. She, naturally, started to protest.
"Ben, I'm fine, really. I've been feeling a bit off the past couple of days I admit, but I'll be fine." Brooke started to pull back only to find her husband's grip surprisingly tight. Oh, not so tight that he was hurting her, Ben would never do that. It was tight enough though; he was telling her, through his actions, he wasn't going to listen to it. Like it or not, the doctor would take a look at her! She gave in and let him lead her upstairs to their bedroom.
oooo
"Is Ma going to be okay, Pa?" Star was sitting on her father's lap while Dr. Martin was upstairs checking her mother. Hoss sat on the couch while Candy had ridden over to help Little Joe as he promised he would the day before. Ben looked up towards the top of the stairs, and then smiled at Star. "I'm sure she will be." He tried to sound as positive as he could. He didn't want to scare the young child unnecessarily. "Why don't you go outside and play for a bit. By the time you're done, I'm sure Dr. Martin will be done." The young child did not argue and ran outside.
When Dr. Martin appeared at the top of the staircase and started down the stairs, Ben stood up. Hoss also rose. "Doc?" Ben asked, as he couldn't read the look on the doctor's face.
Dr. Martin knew it was on the mean side of him, but he hadn't had any fun with Ben for such a long time that now seemed to be the perfect time, especially since the youngest Cartwright was nowhere in sight. That being the case, he kept a very straight, serious face as he said, "There's nothing I can do, Ben. What she has will run its course no matter what."
Shock registered all over Ben's face, as it did Hoss'. "What are you saying? She has something terminal? What is it? How long does she have?" Ben felt his world crumbling in around him and forced himself to ask the questions that he knew he needed to answers to.
The good doctor couldn't hold it in any longer, and a smile a mile wide spread across his faced as he answered, "Oh, I'd say 'bout six months. She has a terminal case of motherhood." He then started laughing as what he'd said registered in his friend's widened eyes. The doctor continued laughing as Ben dropped into his chair.
Hoss let out a joyous holler, one loud enough to wake the dead. It brought Star running into the room. Ben quickly gathered himself as Star, frightened by Hoss' holler, had come running back into the house. Her fright was not helped by the look upon her father's face.
"Ma?" she looked at her father. Ben forced himself to speak though he was still in shock.
"Your ma is fine, child." He then looked at Hoss, glared at the doctor, before he looked back at Star, "You're ma is fine. She's going to have a baby." He'd 'lay into the doctor' later for giving him heart failure. He chuckled as the child let out a squeal of delight and ran up the stairs.
"I'll show myself out," Dr. Martin said as he threw another grin towards Ben as he walked out the door.
Ben said nothing as he looked up towards the top of the stairs. He was still in somewhat of a daze. He was going to be a father again? Okay, so Brooke was young enough to bear children; still, it had been years since there had been an infant in the house. Maybe, it was a good thing Little Joe, Hoss and Candy were doing the majority of the ranch work now while he did the paperwork.
"You in there, Pa?" Hoss chuckled as he waved his hand in front of his father's eyes. The man looked as if he was a thousand miles away. Hoss was sure he was reliving all days that had already passed by, the ones that held memories of Adam, himself and Little Joe as they grew up. The good times, the bad times and the times you just survived.
"Huh?" Ben blinked and shook his head. He couldn't help but feel like wiping the grin off his middle son's face. "I'm fine, and I wouldn't be grinning too wide. Remember, your bedroom is next to ours." It was his turn to laugh as Hoss' eyes widened and he groaned. He'd best enjoy his sleep while he could; it would be interrupted all too soon.